Protectors stand tall, boost semifinal bid
Alpha Insurance showed no signs of slowing down, dismantling VNS-Laticrete in straight sets, 25-22, 25-16, 25-14, to bolster its semifinal push in the 2026 Spikers’ Turf Invitational Conference on Wednesday at the Filoil Centre.
EJ Casaña orchestrated a well-rounded offensive assault as the Protectors unleashed their firepower against the Griffins, securing a crucial victory that lifted them to solo second place with a 5-2 record in the tournament organized by Sports Vision.
Casaña dished out 24 excellent sets to go along with seven points on three attacks, three aces, and one block as Alpha Insurance made quick work of the young VNS squad in just 79 minutes of play.
“Perhaps our biggest advantage here is EJ’s (Casaña) leadership, along with Lance de Castro’s communication on the court. They truly carry the entire team,” Protectors head coach Mike Santos said.
Alpha Insurance imposed its will at the net, overwhelming VNS with a commanding 38-21 advantage in attacks and an 18-10 edge in blocks. The Protectors also held a slight advantage in service aces, 3-1.
However, Alpha Insurance had to weather an early challenge after falling behind, 15-20, in the opening set. Rocky Motol and Reymark Betco then spearheaded a decisive 10-2 finishing run, turning a five-point deficit into a set victory and setting the tone for the rest of the match.
That comeback proved to be the turning point as the Protectors carried their momentum into the next two sets, leaving VNS with little room to recover.
“To be honest, we were still feeling our way around in the opening set, so we really had to overcome those initial jitters to dominate our opponent. That’s why during the timeout, I told them we needed to find other options when placed in that kind of situation,” Santos said.
Vince Himzon spearheaded the offense with a game-high 15 points on nine attacks and six kill blocks, while JJ Javelona added 10 markers. Motol, meanwhile, recorded a double-double of 10 points and 20 excellent receptions.
Barbie San Andres, who experienced cramps late in the match, contributed seven points and seven excellent digs, while Lance de Castro anchored the floor defense with 15 excellent digs.
The Protectors will look to extend their winning streak to five games and move closer to a semifinal berth when they face ClearSkiiin on Sunday at 5 p.m. at the same venue.
Meanwhile, the Griffins moved to the brink of elimination after dropping to a 2-5 record.
CJ Segui led VNS with seven points, while Jau Umandal and Julius Arcillo chipped in six points apiece in the losing effort.